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A confidential source has told the Afghan leak inquiry that the UK abandoned confidential technology permitting Afghanistan's rulers to track down Afghans who collaborated with allied troops.

Information Leak Puts Thousands in Danger

The whistleblower, identified as Person A, testified that Afghans affected by the information breach were instructed to move homes and alter their mobile numbers to avoid detection from the Taliban.

Lawmakers are investigating the Conservative government's handling of a massive leak of private information involving approximately 19k individuals who had asked to move to the UK to flee the regime.

Data Disclosure Happened

A data file including private information, such as identities, phone numbers and in some cases relative details, was mistakenly released by a worker employed at UK special forces headquarters in early 2022.

The leak became known months later, when details of multiple applicants who had sought to move to the UK appeared on online platforms.

Militant Technology

“There seems to be a false assumption that Afghan rulers do not have similar capabilities that allied forces use,” the whistleblower testified to lawmakers.

Technology was deserted in Afghanistan; they possess it. Should they obtain mobile details, they can trace your precise location. That's precisely what specialized teams accomplished.”

During testimony about whether the Taliban had access to necessary encryption, the whistleblower confirmed: “They've got everything.”

Aftermath of the Data Breach

Initial findings presented to the committee estimated that no fewer than forty-nine kin and co-workers of Afghans affected by the leak had been killed.

A legal restriction regarding the breach was enacted in late 2023 and prevented all details about it from media reporting until July 2025.

Safety Measures

Because she was restricted, the whistleblower and the non-governmental organization she collaborated with informed affected households they were supporting that they had “concerns that somebody's phone had been intercepted”.

“We recommended that they change residence if they could and changed their mobile numbers. These represented the crucial data that, if authorities obtained these details, would lead to their location being found,” Person A explained.

Contested Findings

The source argued that an official review carried out by a retired civil servant had been incorrect to state that the acquisition of the records by the regime was “not significantly alter current risk levels”.

“The crucial point is that these individuals are in hiding from the authorities; they live secretly. All concerns relate to former occupations.”

The source explained horrific violence endured by affected individuals, comprising electrocution, interrogation techniques, and severe beatings.

“We have had young kids who have had their arms broken to pressure households to disclose hiding places,” Person A stated.